Jeff Melsom Distinguished Service Award - Guidelines

This award was established to recognize an individual or company's exceptional service to Committee D24, or contributions to the rubber industry in the area of rubber or rubber chemical testing.

In 2016, the name of the award was changed to the Jeff Melsom Distinguished Service Award to memorialize the significant contributions Jeff Melsom made to the D24 Awards Program throughout his years serving as awards chairman.

2. Exemplary work as a committee or subcommittee officer for a substantialperiod of time. While it is intended that there be no specific minimum time ina single office, total accumulative time should be at least six years.

3. Task group work, which addressed a very difficult problem for which there,may or may not be any specific tangible product.

4. Significant contribution to rubber testing either by introducing advancedmethods or improvements to current methods.

5. Significant contribution to standards maintenance in a particular area.

6. Other significant work deemed worthy of recognition by either D24's Awards Committee or D24's Executive Subcommittee.

Recognition of an individual's or company's contributions to the rubber industry in the area of testing elastomers (natural and synthetic), latex, rubber chemicals, or any other area found under the jurisdiction of D24 and may include but is not limited to:

Development of a significant new test procedure which better identifies or characterizes rubber.

Development of new or improved equipment, which simplifies and/or improves testing.

The Jeff Melsom Distinguished Service Award will be presented only when a deserving recipient has been nominated and approved by the Awards Committee.

SELECTION PROCESS

To be eligible an individual or company must be a member of ASTM D24, actively working in the rubber industry or actively involved in D24's activities.

NOMINATION PROCESS

Any member of D24 may nominate a candidate. The nomination should be written to include both quantitative and qualitative information, which supports the merit of the award. The nomination should be forwarded to the chairman of D24's Awards Committee, one of the five Main Committee Officers or D24's ASTM Staff Manager by August 1 of that year. All nominations will then be forwarded to the chairman of the Awards Committee.

SELCETION PROCESS

The Awards Committee will review each nomination presented and, if necessary, request further information to support the award. They may attain additional information either themselves or have the nominating individual provide further support. After sufficient information has been presented, the Awards Committee will make the final decision whether to present the award. Each nomination will be considered after the August 1 deadline. Any nominations received after the August 1 deadline will be kept for submission the following year. If more than one individual is nominated for the same achievements) (i.e. task group or project accomplishments) then each individual will be individually recognized for their contributions. Award(s) will be given not more frequently than once a year.

AWARD FORMAT

The award shall be an engraved walnut plaque bearing the recipient's or company's name and appropriate citation and shall be signed by the Chairman* and Secretary of Committee D24. If presented to a company then the award will be presented to the company's D24 representative.

The award will be presented to the individual or to a representative of the company during D24's Main Committee meeting or at a D24 social in December.

FUNDING

Funding for this award will be by ASTM's award allowance and/or by voluntary contributions to D24's general fund.